The phrase “topical authority” is something you may have heard mentioned. It’s one of those popular search engine optimisation (SEO) buzz words – but while it may sound like jargon, the concept is easy to understand.
In a nutshell, topical authority is basically how much a website is seen as an expert on a specific subject. When a website consistently publishes helpful information on a particular topic, this sends signals to search engines that the site is a reliable and trustworthy source.
Topical authority isn’t about stuffing keywords onto every page of your website. It’s about producing high-quality and useful content that showcases your expertise in this area. This earns trust from both search engines and your audience, and as a result, can help increase visibility and rankings in search results.
How do you build topical authority?
Building topical authority is easier than it sounds. In fact, it’s probably one of the most straightforward parts of SEO. It’s not about keywords or search engines; it’s about sharing valuable information that shows you know your subject.
Start by picking a specific subject area to focus on. This could be one of services or products that you offer on your website.
For example, let’s say you’re a dental practice offering a range of different treatments including wisdom tooth removal. You may already have a dedicated page on your website that explains what the treatment involves, how much it costs, etc.
This is a good starting point, however, on its own, it’s not enough to show real expertise or authority on the subject.
To build topical authority on this subject, think of wisdom tooth removal as a ‘pillar’ topic. Create a series of related pages, known as ‘content clusters’ around this topic. These pages should support the pillar topic by diving deeper into the subject to answer all of the questions that people may have. For example, your content cluster could include blogs on how to prepare for the procedure, common myths and how long recovery takes.
By creating a network of interconnected, well-linked content, this helps present the website to search engines as a knowledgeable source of information.
Why is topical authority important for SEO?
Search engine’s view websites with strong topical authority as experts in their field.
Google’s main goal is to provide its users with the most accurate and helpful information, so it naturally prefers websites that show expertise on a specific subject.
By building topical authority, your website is more likely to appear higher in search results, which as a result, can attract higher levels of organic search traffic to the site.
A particularly significant benefit of this is that once these users land on your website, they’re able to find all the information they need. This keeps visitors engaged on your site for longer, reduces bounce rate and helps guide them through the different stages of the sales funnel. This, in turn, can lead to high conversion rates.
Need help building the topical authority of your website, and refining your content to meet AI Overview SEO requirements? Reach out to the team of experts at Engage Web to see how we can help today.
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